Reloading 357 Mag with Win 296

Critch

Critch

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I have never used 296, or at least that I remember. My brother gave me a pound of it, (he doesn't reload anymore). So, I was looking at Hodgdon Reloading for 110 grain XTPs. I had a new box of them little dudes..

Anyway, so the minimum is 22 grains of 296, the max is 23 grains, so I elected for the 22 grains at around 1990 fps...loaded up 6 in my Model 28 , went down to my farm...very impressive round...nice big roar, very little smoke, and very accurate. Came home and loaded the rest of'em.

I also have some 110 grain Winchester JHPs, but the data is specifically for the XTPs, so I'm guessing the Winchester bullets don't hold together as well...
 
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Titegroup is another good one. Lack of 2400, Unique and Bullseye makes finding a substitute powders. Also kind of fun.
 
Not a lot of data for 296 with the light 110 gr JHPs. Hodgdon's 1990 fps number is from a test barrel and your velocity from a 6" 28 is going to be more like 1700 fps, less if your gun is a 4". Changing from one brand to another in the 110 gr weight isn't going to make any significant difference pressure wise because you will run out of case capacity before pressures are excessive. Other than flash and bang I'm not sure what 110s are good for in the .357. Maybe close range varmint hunting as the light bullets will shed velocity quickly.
 
alwslate said:
Not a lot of data for 296 with the light 110 gr JHPs. Hodgdon's 1990 fps number is from a test barrel and your velocity from a 6" 28 is going to be more like 1700 fps, less if your gun is a 4". Changing from one brand to another in the 110 gr weight isn't going to make any significant difference pressure wise because you will run out of case capacity before pressures are excessive. Other than flash and bang I'm not sure what 110s are good for in the .357. Maybe close range varmint hunting as the light bullets will shed velocity quickly.
Click to expand...

Good chance the heavier bullets will be more accurate, too.
 
Try some 158's with this powder. It behaves much nicer. I'm pretty close to Max at 16.3 grains. And have zero pressure signs. Brass just falls out. Accuracy out of my 6" GP100 is great. Make sure your using Mag primers and a good crimp.
 
I doubt...

I doubt that the Winchesters would be a problem as long as you don't start out with the max load just like you did with the XTPs. The powder/bullet companies have to be specific to keep themselves covered. Bullets CAN differ enough to make a difference, but I've found that to be rare for bullets of similar profiles. I'd try a few just like the first ones since it's a good load. I swanee though, I prefer heavier bullets out of the .357.
 
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I have no experience with W296 in .357 Magnum. I have loaded it in .44 Magnum 240 grain jacketed bullets with magnum primers and 24 grains. I have a pound of it and intend to try 158 grain jacketed soft point or hollow point in the .357. It is a ball powder that just doesn't work well with reduced charges.
 
I’ve used a lot of 296 for 357 &44 magnum loads. Yes, it delivers excellent ballistics and accuracy. Be aware, though, that with high velocity, light-weight jacketed bullet loads, 296 will take a toll on your revolver’s forcing cone, in particular the leading edge at the 12 O’clock position. The larger your barrel/cylinder gap, the quicker this wear will occur.
Eventually, the barrel will have to be set back one turn and the forcing cone recut. Been there, done that, more than once!

For myself, I have found the best results with 296 to come from “heavy-for-caliber” gas checked cast bullets. In 357 magnum, a cast bullet in the 170-180 gr range works well. While the muzzle velocity of a near max load won’t be as high as what you’re getting with the 110s, the heavy bullet will retain velocity better at long ranges. But 296 is so well suited for heavier bullets, the reduced velocity will still be quite significant! Better yet, more of it is consumed upon ignition with heavy bullets, so the wear and tear on your barrel will be lessened.

Enjoy your M28 and the 296! :)
 
I use only cast bullets in handgun cartridges and in the .357 Magnum prefer a 160 grain cast SWC. I've seen good accuracy with 296, but #2400 will easily equal that accuracy without the horrific muzzle blast and flash of 296.
 
Years ago a friend loaded me some 357s with 158gr JSP and 14.6 grains of 296. A nice light magnum load for my model 19. I have since bumped that to 15 grs since that is the minimum published starting load.

Robert
 
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Critch said:
I have never used 296, or at least that I remember. My brother gave me a pound of it, (he doesn't reload anymore). So, I was looking at Hodgdon Reloading for 110 grain XTPs. I had a new box of them little dudes..

Anyway, so the minimum is 22 grains of 296, the max is 23 grains, so I elected for the 22 grains at around 1990 fps...loaded up 6 in my Model 28 , went down to my farm...very impressive round...nice big roar, very little smoke, and very accurate. Came home and loaded the rest of'em.

I also have some 110 grain Winchester JHPs, but the data is specifically for the XTPs, so I'm guessing the Winchester bullets don't hold together as well...
Click to expand...

Are you sure of the velocity ... 1990 fps ?

Even using Speer #8 data I can only get 1662 fps with 110 JHP ... and affter 3 loadings the primer pockets enlarge to the point a primer will not stay in ...they just fall out !

Whats your secrete to 1990 fps ...?

On second thought... I don't need to go there , my hot loading - 110 gr Super Vel - ala Lee Jurras days are over ...
it was fun shooting those screaming meanies at insane velocities into jugs of water ... but I'm done ...
I got older ... it's cast lead and moderate velocities for this old boy and my Ruger Blackhawk !
Gary
 
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H110/W296 is the powder for magnum handgun cartridges when you want the most velocity possible. I never tried this powder with 110 grain bullets, but I did with 125 and 158 grain JHP's. It did get close to or duplicate the velocity of full power factory ammo. One issue with both full power factory ammo and reloads using the very slow burning H110/W296 ball powders is erosion. These loads and powders are the culprits behind a good number of the horror stories of severe forcing cone erosion. It's not as big of a problem with bullets of 140 grains or heavier, but it can be pretty bad with the lightweight bullets.

Also, this is not a powder that responds well to down loading. When charges are reduced more than 5% from maximum, the powder may ignite in an erratic fashion, the result being odd pressure spikes, poor combustion, and a wide variation in velocity.
 
I'm just going by the data on the Hodgdon reloading website.
Reloading Data Center | Hodgdon

I don't own a chronograph...

I got those 110 XTPs some years ago at a very good price..always been meaning to use them for something.

Recoil in these was not excessive at all for a round that is loaded hot to begin with.

I go to quite a few estate sales, etc...and when I see reloading components I try to get them at a very reduced price. I have bullets and brass etc....one time I bought a "box of reloading stuff" for $5.00. It had two sets of 38 Special dies, some shell holders, hundreds of once fired 45 ACP brass and 38 Special brass. Pretty good buy all in all.
 
If you were looking at the data on the Hodgdon website that shows your expected velocity of 1990 FPS I'm surprised that you failed to notice that the velocity was from a 10" test barrel, not a S&W model 28.
 
alwslate said:
If you were looking at the data on the Hodgdon website that shows your expected velocity of 1990 FPS I'm surprised that you failed to notice that the velocity was from a 10" test barrel, not a S&W model 28.
Click to expand...
Oh Yeah ! !0" Universal Reciever Test Barrel Splains a lot ...
It's all clear now ... thanks for posting that !
Gary
 
For full power 240 gr 44 Mag and 158 gr 357 Mag loads I switched from W-W 296 to Accurate #9 several years ago. In my experience very good and accurate powder for those cartridges. Seemas to have significantly less muzzle flash.
 
A full PUBLISHED charge of W296 under a 125 grain bullet (I'm assuming you'll work up to the MAX load) is an attention-getter. My son used it through his 4" GP100 and was thrown out of a local indoor range TWICE: once because the blast was knocking down the target and target backer of the shooter in the next lane. My son asked to be moved away a few lanes but was refused; the second time was because the blast and flash were intimidating a class of new shooters six lanes away. I've used the load in a Smith 686 but the novelty wore off.
 
H110/296 has been my favorite powder for the 357 Winchester 125JHPs for decades now.

125%20JHPs.jpg


I run them over 21.6 grains of H110. They are loaded into nickel plated 357 Magnun cases and collet crimped.

I get 1,496 FPS out of my 5" 627 . . . 1,780 FPS from the 10" TC Contender and 2,106 from the 18" 1892 lever gun

One of my old shooting buddies loved to fire these from his 2 1/2" Model 19. That deep throaty KAaaBoom that the powder creates along with the big orange fireball just gave him the grins

To date, I have loaded and fired more than 8,000 of these Winchester projectiles and I have about 4,000 remaining to be loaded plus less than 1,000 sitting loaded and ready to fire

The load is VERY accurate in all of the 357 Magnum revolvers I have fired it from
 
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